This article summarises trade and economic relations between India and Kazakhstan: the trade figure the brief reports, the intergovernmental commission and working groups, business councils, and trade promotion events. It is based on the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) bilateral brief of July 2026. Figures are given as of that brief and for the periods it states.

Trade figures

According to the MEA brief of July 2026, Kazakhstan is one of India's largest trade and investment partners in Central Asia. As per statistics of Kazakhstan for 2025, total bilateral trade between India and Kazakhstan amounted to USD 923 million, a 5.22 % increase from 2024.

Intergovernmental Commission

The India-Kazakhstan Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC), established in 1993, is described in the brief as the apex bilateral mechanism for developing trade, economic, scientific, technological, industrial and cultural cooperation. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on the Indian side and the Ministry of Trade and Integration on the Kazakh side are the nodal ministries, and their ministers co-chair the Commission.

Minister of Energy Vladimir Shkolnik visited India on 15-17 June 2015 to attend the 12th session of the Commission. On the same dates, Minister of Investment and Development Asset Issekeshav met Minister of Steel and Mines Narendra Singh Tomar. The 14th round of the IGC was held in New Delhi on 03 June 2022. Mr. Bakyt Sultanov, Deputy Prime Minister-Minister of Trade and Integration, visited India in June 2022 to co-chair it.

Joint Working Groups have been established in these areas, as the brief lists them:

  • Counter Terrorism
  • Trade & Economic Cooperation
  • Defence & Military Technical Cooperation
  • Transport, Connectivity and Logistics
  • Information Technology
  • Hydrocarbons
  • Textiles
  • Tea Debt
  • Space Cooperation

It was also decided to set up three new Joint Working Groups on Chabahar port, Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare. The 8th meeting of the JWG on Trade and Economy Cooperation was held by video conference on 24 January 2025.

Business councils

FICCI and the Chamber of International Commerce of Kazakhstan have set up a Joint Business Council (JBC) to promote trade, economic and investment cooperation. Its first meeting took place in Astana in 2016, and the second in New Delhi on 16 February 2018.

Under the India-Central Asia Dialogue, FICCI organised the 1st India-Central Asia Business Council (ICABC) meeting in New Delhi on 6 February 2020 and the 2nd by video conference on 28 October 2020. The Fifth ICABC was organised by FICCI on the sidelines of ICAD 2025. FICCI also organised an India-Central Asia virtual conference on Energy on 24 August 2022.

Priorities raised at the India-Central Asia Summit

At the first India-Central Asia Summit in January 2022, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stressed further development of trade and economic cooperation and the transport and logistics sector. He called for more mutual investment in mining and metallurgy, agriculture, green energy, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, artificial intelligence, Big Data, the Internet of Things, online commerce and cyber-security. He also mentioned the creation of laboratories in Kazakhstan in the telecommunications and electronics industry, and the training of highly qualified IT specialists.

The brief records that he proposed opening an engineering office and an information technology school for Central Asia with Indian IT companies.

Connectivity

The 1st meeting of the India-Central Asia JWG on Chabahar port was held in Mumbai on 12-13 April 2023. At that meeting, Kazakhstan invited India to be part of the North South Roadmap.

Trade promotion and business delegations

The brief records a series of promotion events and business visits:

  • APEDA sent a delegation to Almaty and Astana in June 2018, which conducted wet sampling of Indian mango varieties in Kazakh stores. A Tea delegation visited Almaty in August 2018 for tea promotion events and B2B meetings.
  • Minister of Energy H.E. Mr. Kanat Bozymbayev, accompanied by Deputy Foreign Minister Mr. Yermek Kosherbayev, attended Petrotech-2019 in New Delhi on 10-12 February 2019.
  • EEPC India organised an India pavilion at Kazbuild and Aquatherm 2019 in Almaty on 4-6 September 2019, where around 30 Indian engineering companies took part.
  • A CAPEXIL-led delegation of 18 Indian companies exhibited at the Kazcomak Expo in Almaty on 18-20 September 2019 and held B2B meetings.
  • PHDCCI and Pharmexcil visited Almaty on 28-29 March 2022 for a conference and B2B meetings.
  • A Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC) business delegation visited Almaty on 9-10 February 2023, covering logistics, tourism, health-care, education, IT, construction and other sectors.
  • A Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI) delegation of more than 20 ceramics and vitrified tiles companies visited Almaty on 24 August 2023.
  • Vice Minister of Trade and Integration Kairat Torebayev led a delegation to the 10th Global Dynamic Gujarat Summit on 10-12 January 2024.

Events by the Embassy of India, Astana

The brief lists commercial events held by the Embassy of India, Astana during FY 25-26 and FY 26-27, with attendance figures. Apart from the tourism events covered in the culture article of this guide, they were:

  • Conference and Exhibition on Ayurveda and Traditional Medicine, Almaty, September 11-12, 2025: 800
  • Indian Food Festival, Almaty, September 24-27, 2025: 200
  • Conference "India and Kazakhstan: Forging Partnership in an Age of Disruption" with Narxoz University and HeartLand Expert Analytical Center, November 13, 2025: 100
  • Opening of an ODOP Wall in Almaty, December 10, 2025: 50
  • Seminar with Bank CenterCredit, "Kazakhstan-India: Opportunities for Cooperation in 2026", Almaty, December 10, 2025: 40
  • Tea tasting and promotion of Indian coffee at the National Day Reception in Astana, January 23, 2026: 300
  • Tea tasting, coffee promotion and an ODOP exhibition at the National Day Reception in Almaty, January 27, 2026: 270
  • Indian Tea Festival in Almaty, Shymkent and Turkestan, January to March 2026, including a Nauryz celebration in Turkestan: 900
  • India Kazakhstan Pharma Business Meet, Almaty, 27 March 2026: 250
  • Gems and Jewellery Symposium with GJEPC, 18 July 2026: 50
  • CII Business Delegation to Kazakhstan, 21-24 July 2026: 100

The brief gives a tentative total of 3820 people engaged through events conducted by the Commercial Wing.